What’s for lunch? Asian Beef and Noodles. This is a colorful, budget friendly stir-fry dish that takes only five ingredients—all of which you're likely to have on hand. Ready to eat in about 20 minutes! Serve with fruit (fresh, frozen or canned – whatever you have available) for a complete meal. I had to raid Bytes’ cupboard to find the ramen. I don’t usually buy it, but he keeps it on hand because he likes it for a snack. Or a meal when he is pressed for time. It was worth sneaking down the stairs, avoiding the laser beam network, dodging under the security camera, giving the guard cat a generous handful of treats to keep him busy, and opening the cupboard door just right to avoid setting off the piercing alarm. Actually, I just asked over the stair rail, “got any ramen?” and ... [Read More]
Quick and easy
Deviled Egg Salad Sandwich
What’s for lunch? Today it is Deviled Egg Salad Sandwich. Egg salad is my favorite sandwich . This one has a couple of twist that make it special. First, toasting the bread takes it to a new level. Ordinarily I wouldn’t bother. But since we are trying to treat ourselves nicely with what we have – staying at home and all --, I did. And it was worth it! The mustard and pickle relish add the devil to the egg salad for a tasty change. The recipe makes four generously filled sandwiches. If you don’t need that many sandwiches, the recipe will divide in half easily. OR make the whole batch, make the number of sandwiches you need. One? Two? Pop the rest of the egg salad into the fridge immediately, where it will keep, tightly covered, for use within 3-5 days. The best way to boil ... [Read More]
Chicken Bacon Biscuit Cups
Chicken Bacon Cups were nowhere on the radar as the answer to What’s for lunch? I pondered the question as I stood in the open refrigerator door. Soup from two days before – but not quite enough for hearty servings. Hmmm, a can of biscuits. 3 grilled chicken tenders from the dinner Bytes cooked last night. Half a package of bacon in the cheese drawer. Cheddar and cream cheese. The perfect accompaniment to not quite enough soup! The lunch menu now starred Chicken Bacon Cups. With a little more broth, some mixed vegetables and a dollop of sour cream added atop the somewhat spicy soup it had a fresh perspective instead of a “leftover vibe”. The biscuit cups were a filling addition and no one realized the chicken had been on the table the night before. Every good cook has a way ... [Read More]
Tex Mex Chicken Soup
What’s for lunch? A question frequently asked in these days of being at home a great deal more than any of us are used to being! Today the answer is Tex Mex Chicken Soup. My project is to have something different for lunch every day this week. And then to share ideas and recipes with anyone else who finds lunch a difficult meal. If it is just me for lunch, I am happy with a cup of cottage cheese and a handful of crackers. Or a meat, cheese and mayo sandwich on low carb bread. Lunch is not my favorite thing. I’m usually involved in a project and I don’t really want to stop, so I don’t want a time consuming affair. Preparing lunch at home, doesn’t have to be hard. Or the same old, same old. And, if we are limited in our choices otherwise – like under a stay home order - lunch ... [Read More]
Chicken, Mushrooms and Bacon in the crockpot
Chicken with mushrooms and bacon makes a tender, juicy and surprisingly flavorful chicken dinner. The chicken breasts are dredged in flour and browned in a skillet to keep them juicy on the inside. The mushrooms, and bacon are quickly sauted and added to the chicken in the crockpot where they simmer for only four hours. Put them in the crockpot at lunchtime and come home to a wonderfully aromatic dinner. Serve with brown rice, pasta or potatoes with vegetables on the side. Have fruit or ice cream for dessert. (Even better ice cream with fruit.) Use chicken breasts that have been flattened or sliced to about an inch thick. They will cook more evenly than the chunky chicken breast. This slow cooker chicken recipe is a simple meal and takes less than 15 minutes and one skillet to ... [Read More]
Buttery Apple Crisp
Nate the Great's Mommy set the dessert on the table. MMMMMM Apple Crisp. One bite and it was wow! Light and buttery, cinnamony, and just right sweetness. This apple crisp just whispers in your ear and wraps you in warm apple flavor kissed with butter and cinnamon. Where did you find this recipe, I asked. (just for you, of course!) In grandma's community cookbook, she said. Of course. Every cook who knows someone from that little town has a fat orange covered spiral bound cookbook on the shelf or in the kitchen drawer. Apparently even those who weren't even in kindergarten yet when it was published! How could I have missed it? Granted there are 7 apple crisp recipes in the book, including one with marshmallows, one with eggs and one with raisins. Interestingly they all call ... [Read More]
